Rotary cigarette catcher



22, 1938. G w, GWINN ROTARY CIGARETTE CATCHER Fiied June 22, 1955 INVENTOR I ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 22, 1938 UNITED STATES ROTARY CIGARETTE CATCHER George W. Gwinn, Hewlett, N. Y., assignor to American Machine & Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey I Application June 22, 1935, Serial No. 27,923

21 Claims.

the cigarettes being delivered into its spiral thread by a segmental Wheel revolving at a circumferential speed in excess of the linear speed of the cigarettes delivered from the cutoff so as to separate them lengthwise. To keep them separated while passing into the worm, the segmental wheel may deliver them lengthwise on to a narrow endless separating belt running at a linear speed equal to or greater than the circumferential speed of the segmental wheel, this belt supporting the cigarette while advancing it into the thread of the Worm. Furthermore, the segmental wheel may be omitted and the cigarettes may be separated lengthwise by the action of the separating belt alone. After the cigarette has been displaced sidewise by the turning of the worm through one revolution, it crosses an endless reversing belt running parallel with, but in the opposite direction to, the separating belt, this second belt retarding the forward speed of the cigarette lengthwise and finally causing it to travel lengthwise against a stop while still being moved sideways by the thread of the worm. Upon leaving 'the worm, the then stationary cigarette is pushed by the succeeding cigarettes on to a collector belt which runs transversely of the separating and reversing belts. Y

The worm may be single or double-threaded, the latter having the advantage that due to its greater pitch the worm may be rotated at a lower speed and yet displace each cigarette sidewise out of the way of the succeeding cigarette. Furthermore, the lead of the worm may be gradated from a large pitch at the receiving end to a smaller lead at the delivery end of the worm, the limit of the delivery pitch being the diameter of a cigarette, in which case the cigarettes issuing from'the Worm would be in contact. Moreover, the helical member may constitute only a single turn of a helix, or a fraction thereof; nor should it be understood that the invention is limited to a member of helical configuration, as various configurations are suitable for the purpose of the present invention.

With this and other objects not specifically mentioned in View, the inventionconsists in certain constructions and combinations hereinafter fully described and then specifically set forth in the claims hereunto appended. M

In the accompanying drawing which forms-a part of this specification and in which like characters of reference indicate the same or like parts:

Fig. 1 is a top view of the improved cigarette catcher;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same; and

Fig. 3 is a partial side elevation thereof on line 33 of Fig. 1.

In carrying the invention into effect there is provided in a cigarette catcher receiving cigarettes severed. from a cigarette rod in a cigarette machine, means for successively advancing the severed cigarettes lengthwise to separate the same and displacing them transversely from the path of the cigarette rod. In the best'constructions contemplated this means comprises a rotating worm arranged to receive in its thread the line of cigarettes issuing from the cigarette machine cutoff and successively displace them sidewise, and the cigarettes may be first accelerated to separate them lengthwise. The improved cigarette collector may be widely varied within the scope of the claims, for the particular construction selected to illustrate the invention is but one of many possible concrete embodiments of the same. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted to the precise details -of the structure shown and described.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawing, the line of cigarettes C issuing from the cutoff of a cigarette machine (not shown) travels lengthwise on a grooved plate 5 at one side of the driv-. ing pulley 6 of a collector belt 1 running at right angles to the cigarette rod from which the cigarettes are severedin the cutoff. The shaft 8 of pulley 6 is driven from the cigarette machine, and the upper run of the belt '1 is supported by a, plate 9 and has side guides l0 and II.

To transfer the cigarettes sidewise to the belt 1, a worm I2 is mounted on a shaft I3 which is sup,- ported obliquely to the belt 1 by a frame I4 so that the groove of its spiral thread, at the bottom of the worm, will extend in the direction of, the oncoming cigarettes to admit them lengthwise and follow their lengthwise movement while dis-. placing them sidewise infparallelism withv the cigarette rod. It ma be notedthat the cigarettes are thus moved in an angular path during their lateral displacement. The ends of the cigarettes C on plate 5 touch one another, hence 7 when'transferring them one by one to the transverse collector belt 1 their ends would rub against each other and be damaged unless they werefirst longitudinally separated sufllciently to allow the leading cigarette to be moved out of the way side- 7 having on its raised segment a circumferential speed greater than the forward speed of the cisarettes on plate 5, the raised segment of the said wheel being preferablygrooved to provide outstanding flanges which 'securely'guide the cigarettes into the. thread of the worm I2. The shaft 28 of wheel I 5 is also supported in frame l4 and driven from the cigarette machine. It should be understood however that the worm |2 may be disposed at right angles to the cigarette rod, whence the cigarettes will be delivered askew to the collector belt 1; and thatr'the angle of the belt with respect tothe cigarette rod could also be varied to receive the cigarettes squarely if the worm were arranged at right angles to the cigarette rod and thusacted to deliver them askew.

A traveling surface such as a narrow endless belt |6 may, be provided uponwhicheach cigarette is delivered by the wheel |5 and upon which it rests during the first revolution of the worm, the shafts l1 and I8 of the pulleys l9 and of this-separating belt being supported i'n frame l4 and .one of these shafts being driven fromthe cigarette machine in the forward direction at a speed sufficient to keep the cigarettes separated. After one revolution of the worm, when the cigarette C (Fig. 1) has been displaced sidewise out of the way of thefollowing cigarette, the continued' rotation of the worm' displaces the cigarette C onto a second endless belt 2| running over pulleys 22 and 23 on shafts and 25 and driven from the cigarette machine at low speed in the opposite'direction to belt I6.

separation between the cigarettes leaving the same, the pitch of the spiral thread of the worm I2 is made greatest at the receiving end and gradually decreases towards the delivery end of the worm. In this connection it may be noted that the thread of the worm straddles the cigarettes during their lateral displacement and thus controls the momentum thereof, and that the shaft I3 thereof is driven from thecigarette machine drive in properly timed relation to the cigarette machine cutoff.

What is claimed is:' t

1. In acigarette catcher, the combination with mechanism for receiving and guiding a line of cigarettes severed from a cigarette rod in a cigarette machine cutoif, of asingle rotary means having its axis of rotation transverse to the cigarette rod for moving the severed cigarettes transversely from the path of the cigarette rod, said means having opposed spiral faces straddling the cigarette while moving it laterally so as to con-.

' trol the momentum of its transversemovement.

2. In a cigarette catcher, the combination with mechanism for receiving and guiding a line of cigarettes severed from a cigarette rod in a cigarette machine cutoff, of a rotary member having its axis transverse of the path of the cigarette rod for transferring cigarettes transversely from the path of the rod substantially axially of said member, said member having a groove into which the cigarettes enter to be transferred.

3. In a cigarette catcher, the combination with mechanism for receiving and guiding cigarettes severed from a cigarette rod in a cigarette machine cutofifof rotary means having a plurality of spiral cigarette engaging faces for engaging and moving a plurality of cigarettes transversely from the path of the cigarette rod, said means moving on an axis transverse of the path of the cigarette rod, and the faces thereof which move the cigarettes being substantially parallel with the length of each cigarette during said engagement and transverse movement, said'faces being spaced axially along said member to simultaneously displace a plurality of cigarettes laterally advancing the severed cigarettes lengthwise to establish a gap between the leading cigarette in said'line and the following cigarette'in the path of the cigarette rod,'a rotary member for displacing said Ieading cigarette transversely from the path of the rod, a stop and a member having a traveling surface for retarding and finally re-' of movement of said rod and contacting with the cigarettes while they are being displaced from the path of the cigarette rod for retarding and finally reversing the lengthwise movement of the cigarettes to halt the same. i

6. In a cigarette catcher, the combination with mechanism for receiving and guiding a line of cigarettes severed from a cigarette rod'in' a ciga-' rette machine cutoif, ofa rotary member-having its axis transverse to the movement of the cig' arette rod for laterally moving the cigarettes successively out of the pathof the oncoming rod, said member having a flange of progressivelydecreasing pitch arranged. to successively receive.

each cigarette and move, it transversely, first at high speed to clear the following cigarette and then at a low speed while disengaging it.

7. In a cigarette catcher, the combination with mechanism forreceiving and guiding a line of cigarettes severed from a cigarette rod in a cigarette machine cutoff, of a rotary member arranged on ,a horizontal, axis extending trans? versely of and located above the line of cigarettes, said member having a spiral cigarette engaging vane extending axially therealong for displacing.

cigarettes sidewise and parallel tosaid rod, said vane being constructed with a-plurality of turns for also engaging with previously displaced cigarettes for imparting thereto an additional sidewise movement.

8. In a cigarette catcher for receiving cigarettes endwise from a cigarette machine cutoff and collecting them sidewise in a row, the combination with a traveling collector belt extending transversely with respect to the line of cigarettes issuing from the cigarette'machine cutoff, of a rotating worm arranged to receive in its thread the cigarettes issuing from the cigarette machine cutoff and deliver them sidewise to said collector belt.

9. In a cigarette catcher for receiving cigarettes endwise from a cigarette machine cutoff and collecting them sidewise in a row, the combination with a traveling collector belt extending transversely with respect to the line of cigarettes issuing from the cigarette machine cutoff, of a rotating worm arranged to receive in its thread the cigarettes issuing endwise from the cigarette machine cutoff and deliver them'sidewise to said collector belt, the thread on said worm having a progressively decreasing pitch in order to displace the cigarettes sidewise at a gradually decreasing speed.

10. In a cigarette catcher for receiving cigarettes endwise from a cigarette machine cutoff and collecting them sidewise in a row, the combination with a traveling collector belt extending transversely with respect to the line of cigarettes issuing from the cigarette machine cutoif, of a device for accelerating the cigarettes delivered from the cigarette machine cutoff, to separate them lengthwise, and a rotating worm arranged to receive the cigarettes in its thread from said device after they have been separated lengthwise and deliver them sidewise to said collector belt.

11. In a cigarette catcher for receiving cigarettes endwise from a cigarette machine cutofi.

'and collecting them sidewise in a row, the combination with a traveling collector belt extending transversely with respect to the line of cigarettes issuing from the cigarette machine cutoff, of a device for accelerating the cigarettes delivered from the cigarette machine cutoff, to separate them lengthwise, and a rotating worm arranged to receive the cigarettes in its thread from said device after they have been separated lengthwise and deliver them sidewise to said collector belt, said device including a rotating wheel having a raised segment for engaging each cigarette successively and accelerating it to separate it from the following cigarette, said raised segment being provided with outstanding flanges which serve to guide the cigarettes While they are being accelerated.

12. In a cigarette catcher for receiving cigarettes endwise from a cigarette machine cutoff and collecting them sidewise in a row, the combination with a traveling collector belt extending transversely with respect to the line of cigarettes issuing from the cigarette machine cutoff, of a device for accelerating the cigarettes delivered from the cigarette machine cutoif to separate them lengthwise, and a rotating worm arranged to receive the cigarettes in its thread from said device after they have been separated lengthwise and deliver them sidewise to said collector belt, and a traveling belt for advancing the separated cigarettes lengthwise into the thread of said worm at the speed to which they have been accelerated.

13. In a cigarette catcher for receiving cigarettes endwise from a cigarette machine cutoff and collecting them sidewise in a row, the combination with a traveling collector belt extending transversely with respect to the line of cigarettes issuing from the cigarette machine cutoff, of a device for accelerating the cigarettes delivered from the cigarette machine cutoff to separate them lengthwise, and a rotating worm arranged to receive the cigarettes in its thread from said device after they have been separated lengthwise and deliver them sidewise to said collector belt, a stop extending along said member, and a traveling reversing belt underlying the cigarettes being displaced sidewise by said worm and acting to advance them lengthwise against said stop.

14. In a cigarette catcher for receiving cigarettes endwise from a cigarette machine cutoff and collecting them sidewise in a row, the combination with a traveling collector belt extending transversely with respect to the line of cigarettes issuing from the cigarette machine cutoff, of a device for accelerating the cigarettes delivered from the cigarette machine cutoff to separate them lengthwise, and a rotating worm arranged to receive the cigarettes in its thread from said device after they have been separated lengthwise and deliver them sidewise to said collector belt, the thread on said worm having a gradually decreasing pitch to displace the cigarettes sidewise at a gradually decreasing speed.

15. Means for accelerating cigarettes delivered from a cigarette machine cutoff, to separate them lengthwise, comprising a rotating wheel having a raised segment for engaging each cigarette successively and accelerating it to separate it from the following cigarette, said raised segment being provided with outstanding flanges which serve to guide the cigarettes while they are being accelerated.

16. In a cigarette catcher, the combination with mechanism for receiving and guiding a line of cigarettes severed from a cigarette rod in a cigarette machine cutofi, of rotary means having its axis of rotation transverse to the cigarette rod for moving the severed cigarettes laterally from the path of the cigarette rod, said means having opposed faces straddling each cigarette while moving it laterally and substantially parallel to the direction of movement of said rod so as to control the momentum of its transverse movement, and means for stopping the endwise movement of the transversely moving cigarettes.

1'7. In a cigarette catcher, the combination with mechanism for receiving and guiding a line of cigarettes severed from a cigarette rod in a cigarette machine cutofi", of rotary helical means having its axis of rotation transverse to the cigarette rod for moving the severed cigarettes transversely from the path of the cigarette rod, said means straddling the cigarette while moving it so as to control the momentum of its transverse movement.

18. In a cigarette catcher, the combination with mechanism for receiving and guiding a line of cigarettes severed from a cigarette rod in a cigarette machine cutoff lengthwise on a support, of a grooved member positioned above the rod and on an axis transverse to the path of movement of said rod with the groove of said member forming faces spaced to admit cigarettes therebetween, said faces being arranged to move in the general direction of movement of said line of cigarettes while displacing cigarettes laterally from said line, a cigarette receiving device located adjacent said member, and means for imparting motion to said member to cause said faces to move cigarettes from said line tosaid device.

19. In a cigarette catcher, the combination with;

mechanism'for receiving and guiding a line of cigarettes severed from a cigarette rod in'a cigarette machine cutoff, of rotary means mounted upon a substantially horizontal shaft having its axis of rotation transverse to the cigarette rod for moving the severed cigarettes transversely from the path :of the cigarette rod, said means havingspaced surfaces contacting opposite sides of a cigarettegwhile moving it so as to control the-momentum of its transverse movement.

20. In a cigarettecatcher, the combination with mechanism for receivingand guiding cigarettes severed from a cigarette ro'din a cigarette machine cutoff, of a receiving member onto which saidv cigarettes are delivered, rotary means provided with spiral cigarette engaging and displacing faces positioned axially along said means, said faces being constructed and arranged to displace cigarettes laterally from the cigarette rod and 1 also move previously displaced cigarettes onto said member, said means moving on an axis transverse of the path of the cigarette rod, and

' the faces thereof which move the cigarettes being substantially parallel with the length of the cigarettes during the engagement and movement.

21. In a cigarettecatcher, the combination with mechanismfor receiving and guiding a. line of cigarettes severed from a rod in a cigarette machine cutoff, of' a rotary memberhaving its axis substantially transverse tothe path of movement of said rod; said member havingva spiral vanecomprising a plurality-0'1 turns extending axially thereof for moving cigarettes laterally from said rod, said vane having a decreasing pitch so 0011-. structed and arranged that cigarettes are moved at a high rate of speed'from said rod and then at a lower rate of speed'when disengaged by said vane. 4

GEORGE W. GWINN. 

